FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the treatment of injured, degenerated, or diseased tissue in the human spine, for example, intervertebral discs and vertebrae themselves. It further relates to the removal of damaged tissue and to the stabilization of the remaining spine by fusion to one another of at least two vertebrae adjacent or nearly adjacent to the space left by the surgical removal of tissue. More particularly, this invention relates to the implantation of devices which can be inserted to take the structural place of removed discs and vertebrae during healing while simultaneously sharing compressive load to facilitate bony fusion by bone growth between adjacent vertebrae to replace permanently the structural contribution of the removed tissue. This invention further relates to the implantation of devices which do not interfere with the natural lordosis of the spinal column. This invention further relates to implants which are radiolucent to permit more accurate diagnostic imaging follow up.